1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system and method. More specifically, the present application is directed to a preemptive data protection for copy services in storage systems, service systems, and application architecture.
2. Description of Related Art
A storage area network (SAN) is a network of storage disks. In large enterprises, a SAN connects multiple servers to a centralized pool of storage systems. Compared to managing hundreds of servers, each with its own disks, SANs improve system administration. By treating all of a company's storage as a single resource, disk maintenance and routine backups are easier to schedule and control.
Storage area networks, as well as other network data processing systems, include multiple layers, such as applications, database applications, file systems, host server systems, network infrastructure, and storage systems. Current implementations keep these layers abstract, but include redundancy within each layer for fault tolerance.
In some SANs, the storage systems themselves can copy data to other storage systems for backup without any processing overhead at the host systems. In computer systems with two or more storage systems, peer to peer remote copy (PPRC) allows one storage system to mirror a volume on a second storage system. Synchronous PPRC causes each write to the primary volume to be performed to the secondary volume as well. The input/output (I/O) operation is only considered complete when update to both the primary and the secondary volumes have completed. Asynchronous PPRC flags tracks on the primary volume to be duplicated to the secondary volume when time permits.